Shillong to host national conference on NextGen Administrative and e-Governance Reforms

SHILLONG: The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), in collaboration with the Government of Meghalaya, will host a two-day national conference on “NextGen Administrative & e-Gov Reforms” in Shillong on July 13–14, bringing together government leaders, policymakers, district administrators, technology experts and governance practitioners to chart the next phase of India’s digital governance journey.

Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh, and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma will address the inaugural session. They will be joined by Nivedita Shukla Verma, Secretary, DARPG, Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), and Shakil P. Ahammed, Chief Secretary of Meghalaya.

The conference is expected to attract more than 300 delegates, including senior officials from the Centre and States, District Collectors, policymakers, academic institutions and governance experts. Over 30 speakers will present award-winning governance initiatives and innovative administrative practices from across the country.

Designed as a national platform for knowledge sharing, the conference will focus on next-generation administrative reforms, digital governance and citizen-centric public service delivery. Discussions will explore how emerging technologies can improve transparency, efficiency and responsiveness in public administration while enabling States and Union Territories to replicate successful governance models.

The first day will open with presentations on Meghalaya’s governance initiatives, highlighting reforms that have strengthened administrative efficiency and public service delivery. This will be followed by sessions featuring Prime Minister’s Award-winning initiatives from 2023 and 2024, showcasing successful district-level innovations in holistic development, education, rural livelihoods and the Aspirational District Programme.

Another key segment will showcase the winners of the National Awards for e-Governance 2026, featuring digital solutions developed by Central Ministries, State Governments, Urban Local Bodies and public institutions. The projects span sectors including urban governance, healthcare, digital banking, pilgrimage management, Panchayati Raj, consumer protection and cyber security, demonstrating how technology is transforming governance across multiple domains.

The conference will also spotlight development initiatives in the North Eastern Region, with dedicated sessions on programmes led by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and the North Eastern Council (NEC). Discussions will cover bamboo and agarwood value chains, tourism, infrastructure development, project monitoring and regional collaboration.

A special session will present DARPG-supported State Collaborative Initiative (SCI) projects from Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland, highlighting technology-enabled public service delivery, digital governance platforms, project monitoring systems, consumer grievance redressal mechanisms and public safety solutions tailored to the region’s unique needs.

The conference aims to strengthen collaboration among governments, accelerate digital transformation, promote citizen-centric governance and encourage wider adoption of innovative administrative practices. By bringing together award-winning initiatives and emerging technologies under one platform, the event seeks to help build a more transparent, efficient and future-ready public administration aligned with India’s digital governance vision.